{ H IS FOR HARTPENCE }: Hayden, Version 4.0

Hayden, are you really, seriously a 4-year-old?

i can't handle it. FOUR?! i have been lucky enough to be your mother for four whole years, and you know, they have been amazing. you never cease to surprise and delight us. you make us laugh, you drive us CRAZY, you melt my heart a million times over.

here are a few little things about our little boy who is growing up so fast…

- YOU. ARE. HILARIOUS. it seriously kills me, the things you come up with!! we are constantly asking you, “where did you learn that?” daddy and I are always telling each other the things you came up with for the day. you are like a sponge, you take everything in and say the funniest things.

- YOU LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOUR CARS. daddy got you into an obsession since you have every single car that disney cars has ever produced, but it so fun to watch you play, name and race your little toy cars.

- YOU LOVE YOUR FRIENDS. you always want to play with your friends and what a blessing it is to have so many cousins! dean, cristian, ava and grant are some of your favorites and you enjoy playing with your school friends but, you can’t ever remember their names since you only see them once a week!

- YOU ARE A GREAT BIG BROTHER. you love your baby sister! Sometimes, you are a little rough with her or act mean to her to get my attention, but most of the time, you're so sweet. lately, you’ve been saying, “I want to marry holland!” and then you give her a big kiss! you always want to know where she is and run to her crib first thing in the morning to say “good morning!” you sing, read books and share some toys (not your cars) with her which really is sweet for a 4-year-old boy.

-YOU ARE MISTER SASSY PANTS. are you EVER sassy! you have quite the little stubborn streak and have no problem letting it show. we are working on remembering to be ahem, respectful, all the time. you can be so naughty, and we have to try HARD not to think it's funny, even though sometimes it REALLY IS! daddy and I sometimes like to hum the oompa loompa song, “what do you do if your kid is a brat?” that helps us keep our cool cause it makes us all laugh!

- YOU ARE ALSO AS SWEET AS CAN BE. you are also such a little love bug, always giving hugs and kisses and snuggling mommy and daddy. you do nice things for your friends and is the regulator and makes sure everyone is on task. you tell us you love us and say the cutest things. you also love to spontaneously pick mommy flowers!

- YOU'RE OUR WILD THING. you are 100% boy, running, jumping, yelling, wrestling with your cousins, getting dirty, snakes, snails, puppy dog tails and all of it. you are always making sound effects or yelling "HI-YAH!" (when you're getting tough) “KACHOW” when you are playing with your favorite car, Lightning McQueen. You love to dress-up like a Pirate and go to “Pirate Park.”

- YOU'RE SO BIG, AND SO HANDSOME. i guess i'm a little partial, but i really think you're the most beautiful little boy i've ever laid eyes on. i just adore your sweet face, white blond hair and your big pretty eyes, that have recently become rather GREEN like Daddys! although you still insist they're blue, because that’s what they’ve always been. really, it depends on what you wear.